These Countries Are Pouring Billions Into Their Navy Personnel

Military

Published: March 15, 2025 9:54 am

The strength of a country’s navy is not just how many warships a nation has, but its strength comes from the servicemen that operate these vessels. However, having a large force also implies spending a large amount to employ these servicemen and maintain the fleet. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is exploring the countries with the most navy personnel.

To determine the countries with the most navy personnel in the world, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Global Firepower ranked 145 countries based on their PowerIndex, a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability is. We ranked these countries based on navy personnel. We also included supplemental information regarding personnel counts from other military branches, active personnel, total personnel, as well as the overall military strength score and defense budget.

Here is a look at the countries with the most navy personnel in the world:

Why Are We Covering This?

Silhouette of a military man in headphones at a laptop against the background of a digital globe of the earth, contour lighting. Concept: collection of confidential information, surveillance.

Understanding global military dynamics is incredibly important due to the interconnected nature of international relations and conflicts. As long as civilization has existed, the world has witnessed shifting power balances and alliances which have ultimately shaped the current geopolitical landscape. While key players like the United States, China, and Russia are considered the strongest military powers in the world, there are a number of other nations with their own spheres of influence and strengths that impact global relations from a military perspective.

30. Israel

Israel navy | All-weather patrol boat patrol on a cloudy day near the shore of the sea space of the country

Total navy personnel: 19,500
Total army personnel: 526,000
Total air force personnel: 89,000
Active military personnel: 170,000
Reserve military personnel: 465,000
Paramilitary personnel: 35,000
Total military personnel: 670,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2661 – #15 out of 145
Military defense budget: $30,500,000,000 – #17 out of 145

Israel’s navy personnel operate 62 total naval vessels, including 5 submarines, 7 corvettes, and 46 patrol vessels.

29. Australia

Flag of Australia on military uniform (collage). by Bumble Dee

Flag of Australia on military uniform (collage). (Shutterstock.com) by Bumble Dee

Total navy personnel: 20,000
Total army personnel: 50,000
Total air force personnel: 20,000
Active military personnel: 57,350
Reserve military personnel: 32,050
Paramilitary personnel: 0
Total military personnel: 89,400
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3298 – #18 out of 145
Military defense budget: $55,700,000,000 – #8 out of 145

Australia’s navy personnel operate 44 total naval vessels, including 2 helicopter carriers, 6 submarines, 7 frigates, and 10 patrol vessels.

28. Spain

Total navy personnel: 20,840
Total army personnel: 75,825
Total air force personnel: 23,000
Active military personnel: 133,282
Reserve military personnel: 15,150
Paramilitary personnel: 78,470
Total military personnel: 226,902
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3242 – #17 out of 145
Military defense budget: $23,397,000,000 – #22 out of 145

Spain’s navy personnel operate 152 total naval vessels, including 1 aircraft carrier, 2 submarines, 11 frigates, and 22 patrol vessels.

27. Chile

Military march 6 May, 2012. Arica, Chile by -Chupacabras-

Military march 6 May, 2012. Arica, Chile (BY-SA 2.0) by -Chupacabras-

Total navy personnel: 25,000
Total army personnel: 80,000
Total air force personnel: 12,000
Active military personnel: 80,000
Reserve military personnel: 40,000
Paramilitary personnel: 50,000
Total military personnel: 170,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.8361 – #47 out of 145
Military defense budget: $5,032,500,000 – #48 out of 145

Chile’s navy personnel operate 130 total naval vessels, including 4 submarines, 8 frigates, and 40 patrol vessels.

26. Bangladesh

Total navy personnel: 25,100
Total army personnel: 160,000
Total air force personnel: 17,400
Active military personnel: 163,000
Reserve military personnel: 0
Paramilitary personnel: 6,800,000
Total military personnel: 6,963,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.6062 – #35 out of 145
Military defense budget: $4,374,000,000 – #56 out of 145

Bangladesh’s navy personnel operate 118 total naval vessels, including 2 submarines, 7 frigates, 6 corvettes, and 61 patrol vessels.

25. Venezuela

Total navy personnel: 25,500
Total army personnel: 115,000
Total air force personnel: 20,000
Active military personnel: 109,000
Reserve military personnel: 8,000
Paramilitary personnel: 220,000
Total military personnel: 337,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.8882 – #50 out of 145
Military defense budget: $4,093,120,000 – #57 out of 145

Venezuela’s navy personnel operate 34 total naval vessels, including 1 submarine, 1 frigate, and 25 patrol vessels.

24. Peru

Peru+navy | The U.S. and Peruvian navies train together.

Total navy personnel: 25,990
Total army personnel: 92,500
Total air force personnel: 15,600
Active military personnel: 120,000
Reserve military personnel: 385,000
Paramilitary personnel: 60,000
Total military personnel: 565,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.8588 – #49 out of 145
Military defense budget: $3,420,000,000 – #58 out of 145

Peru’s navy personnel operate 71 total naval vessels, including 4 submarines, 7 frigates, 8 corvettes, and 13 patrol vessels.

23. Greece

Total navy personnel: 30,000
Total army personnel: 200,000
Total air force personnel: 42,500
Active military personnel: 142,700
Reserve military personnel: 221,350
Paramilitary personnel: 55,000
Total military personnel: 419,050
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5337 – #30 out of 145
Military defense budget: $6,500,000,000 – #44 out of 145

Greece’s navy personnel operate 192 total naval vessels, including 10 submarines, 13 frigates, and 39 patrol vessels.

22. Italy

Total navy personnel: 31,000
Total army personnel: 100,000
Total air force personnel: 43,000
Active military personnel: 165,500
Reserve military personnel: 18,500
Paramilitary personnel: 105,000
Total military personnel: 289,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2164 – #10 out of 145
Military defense budget: $30,890,000,000 – #16 out of 145

Italy’s navy personnel operate 196 total naval vessels, including 2 aircraft carriers, 8 submarines, 10 frigates, and 19 patrol vessels.

21. Egypt

Total navy personnel: 32,500
Total army personnel: 685,000
Total air force personnel: 50,000
Active military personnel: 440,000
Reserve military personnel: 480,000
Paramilitary personnel: 300,000
Total military personnel: 1,220,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3427 – #19 out of 145
Military defense budget: $5,879,500,000 – #46 out of 145

Egypt’s navy personnel operate 150 total naval vessels, including 2 helicopter carriers, 8 submarines, 13 frigates, 7 corvettes, and 62 patrol vessels.

20. Colombia

Total navy personnel: 35,100
Total army personnel: 2,048,583
Total air force personnel: 25,000
Active military personnel: 293,200
Reserve military personnel: 35,000
Paramilitary personnel: 150,000
Total military personnel: 478,200
Military strength score and world rank: 0.8353 – #46 out of 145
Military defense budget: $10,541,500,000 – #30 out of 145

Colombia’s navy personnel operate 233 total naval vessels, including 4 submarines, 7 frigates, 2 corvettes, and 217 patrol vessels.

19. United Kingdom

Total navy personnel: 35,730
Total army personnel: 106,626
Total air force personnel: 34,790
Active military personnel: 184,860
Reserve military personnel: 924,000
Paramilitary personnel: 0
Total military personnel: 1,108,860
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1785 – #6 out of 145
Military defense budget: $71,500,540,000 – #6 out of 145

The United Kingdom’s navy personnel operate 109 total naval vessels, including 2 aircraft carriers, 9 submarines, 8 frigates, and 26 patrol vessels.

18. Philippines

Total navy personnel: 39,500
Total army personnel: 201,250
Total air force personnel: 33,600
Active military personnel: 150,000
Reserve military personnel: 1,200,000
Paramilitary personnel: 35,000
Total military personnel: 1,385,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.6987 – #41 out of 145
Military defense budget: $4,380,000,000 – #55 out of 145

Philippines’s navy personnel operate 113 total naval vessels, including 2 frigates, 1 corvettes, and 58 patrol vessels.

17. Taiwan

190709-N-DQ787-1051 by Naval Surface Warriors

190709-N-DQ787-1051 (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Naval Surface Warriors

Total navy personnel: 40,000
Total army personnel: 130,000
Total air force personnel: 35,000
Active military personnel: 215,000
Reserve military personnel: 2,310,000
Paramilitary personnel: 55,000
Total military personnel: 2,580,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.3988 – #23 out of 145
Military defense budget: $19,740,000,000 – #23 out of 145

Taiwan’s navy personnel operate 97 total naval vessels, including 4 submarines, 22 frigates, 7 corvettes, and 37 patrol vessels.

16. France

Total navy personnel: 44,000
Total army personnel: 141,600
Total air force personnel: 40,500
Active military personnel: 200,000
Reserve military personnel: 26,000
Paramilitary personnel: 150,000
Total military personnel: 376,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1878 – #8 out of 145
Military defense budget: $55,000,000,000 – #9 out of 145

France’s navy personnel operate 129 total naval vessels, including 1 aircraft carrier, 3 helicopter carriers, 9 submarines, 11 frigates, and 20 patrol vessels.

15. Sri Lanka

Total navy personnel: 48,000
Total army personnel: 200,785
Total air force personnel: 27,000
Active military personnel: 346,000
Reserve military personnel: 90,000
Paramilitary personnel: 0
Total military personnel: 436,000
Military strength score and world rank: 1.3941 – #69 out of 145
Military defense budget: $1,265,400,000 – #82 out of 145

Sri Lanka’s navy personnel operate 270 total naval vessels, including 5 frigates and 59 patrol vessels.

14. Vietnam

Vietnam+navy | AVPs of South Vietnam Navy, RVNS Tran Quang Khai (HQ-2), Tran Quoc Toan (HQ-6), and Tran Binh Trong (HQ-5) at Saigon, May 1972.

Total navy personnel: 50,000
Total army personnel: 300,000
Total air force personnel: 35,000
Active military personnel: 600,000
Reserve military personnel: 5,000,000
Paramilitary personnel: 250,000
Total military personnel: 5,850,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.4024 – #24 out of 145
Military defense budget: $8,594,000,000 – #35 out of 145

Vietnam’s navy personnel operate 110 total naval vessels, including 9 submarines, 9 frigates, 16 corvettes, and 35 patrol vessels.

13. Japan

Total navy personnel: 50,800
Total army personnel: 196,700
Total air force personnel: 50,000
Active military personnel: 247,150
Reserve military personnel: 56,000
Paramilitary personnel: 25,000
Total military personnel: 328,150
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1839 – #7 out of 145
Military defense budget: $57,000,000,000 – #7 out of 145

Japan’s navy personnel operate 159 total naval vessels, including 4 helicopter carriers, 24 submarines, 6 frigates, and 6 patrol vessels.

12. North Korea

North Korean soldiers placard at the military parade in Pyongyang. Pyongyang, North Korea, July 2013. by Astrelok

North Korean soldiers placard at the military parade in Pyongyang. Pyongyang, North Korea, July 2013. (Shutterstock.com) by Astrelok

Total navy personnel: 60,000
Total army personnel: 1,370,000
Total air force personnel: 110,000
Active military personnel: 1,320,000
Reserve military personnel: 560,000
Paramilitary personnel: 100,000
Total military personnel: 1,980,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.6016 – #34 out of 145
Military defense budget: $4,736,000,000 – #51 out of 145

North Korea’s navy personnel operate 207 total naval vessels, including 13 submarines, 2 frigates, 4 corvettes, and 155 patrol vessels.

11. Indonesia

Total navy personnel: 66,034
Total army personnel: 300,400
Total air force personnel: 30,100
Active military personnel: 400,000
Reserve military personnel: 400,000
Paramilitary personnel: 250,000
Total military personnel: 1,050,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2557 – #13 out of 145
Military defense budget: $10,600,000,000 – #29 out of 145

Indonesia’s navy personnel operate 331 total naval vessels, including 4 submarines, 7 frigates, 25 corvettes, and 211 patrol vessels.

10. South Korea

Flag of South Korea on soldiers arm. Flag of South Korea on military uniforms (collage). by Bumble Dee

Flag of South Korea on soldiers arm. Flag of South Korea on military uniforms (collage). (Shutterstock.com) by Bumble Dee

Total navy personnel: 70,000
Total army personnel: 365,000
Total air force personnel: 65,000
Active military personnel: 600,000
Reserve military personnel: 3,100,000
Paramilitary personnel: 120,000
Total military personnel: 3,820,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1656 – #5 out of 145
Military defense budget: $46,300,000,000 – #14 out of 145

South Korea’s navy personnel operate 227 total naval vessels, including 2 helicopter carriers, 22 submarines, 17 frigates, 5 corvettes, and 35 patrol vessels.

9. Brazil

Total navy personnel: 80,500
Total army personnel: 1,554,000
Total air force personnel: 81,000
Active military personnel: 360,000
Reserve military personnel: 340,000
Paramilitary personnel: 200,000
Total military personnel: 900,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2415 – #11 out of 145
Military defense budget: $26,157,300,000 – #19 out of 145

Brazil’s navy personnel operate 64 total naval vessels, including 1 helicopter carrier, 4 submarines, 6 frigates, 2 corvettes, and 23 patrol vessels.

8. Thailand

Thailand helicopter | Navy Helicopters Landing

Total navy personnel: 84,000
Total army personnel: 457,300
Total air force personnel: 46,000
Active military personnel: 360,850
Reserve military personnel: 200,000
Paramilitary personnel: 25,000
Total military personnel: 585,850
Military strength score and world rank: 0.4536 – #26 out of 145
Military defense budget: $5,887,883,500 – #45 out of 145

Thailand’s navy personnel operate 293 total naval vessels, including 1 helicopter carrier, 7 frigates, 6 corvettes, and 49 patrol vessels.

7. Mexico

Total navy personnel: 87,555
Total army personnel: 261,755
Total air force personnel: 30,515
Active military personnel: 412,000
Reserve military personnel: 98,655
Paramilitary personnel: 120,000
Total military personnel: 630,655
Military strength score and world rank: 0.5965 – #32 out of 145
Military defense budget: $7,600,000,000 – #39 out of 145

Mexico’s navy personnel operate 167 total naval vessels, including 1 frigate, 3 corvettes, and 140 patrol vessels.

6. Turkey

Total navy personnel: 100,000
Total army personnel: 518,900
Total air force personnel: 115,000
Active military personnel: 355,200
Reserve military personnel: 378,700
Paramilitary personnel: 150,000
Total military personnel: 883,900
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1902 – #9 out of 145
Military defense budget: $47,000,000,000 – #13 out of 145

Turkey’s navy personnel operate 182 total naval vessels, including 1 helicopter carrier, 13 submarines, 17 frigates, 9 corvettes, and 41 patrol vessels.

5. Pakistan

Total navy personnel: 124,800
Total army personnel: 1,311,500
Total air force personnel: 78,128
Active military personnel: 654,000
Reserve military personnel: 550,000
Paramilitary personnel: 500,000
Total military personnel: 1,704,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.2513 – #12 out of 145
Military defense budget: $7,640,000,000 – #38 out of 145

Pakistan’s navy personnel operate 121 total naval vessels, including 8 submarines, 9 frigates, 9 corvettes, and 69 patrol vessels.

4. India

India navy | 01/07/2020 Mumbai. India. three warships of the Indian Navy anchored in Mumbai

Total navy personnel: 142,252
Total army personnel: 2,197,117
Total air force personnel: 310,575
Active military personnel: 1,455,550
Reserve military personnel: 1,155,000
Paramilitary personnel: 2,527,000
Total military personnel: 5,137,550
Military strength score and world rank: 0.1184 – #4 out of 145
Military defense budget: $75,000,000,000 – #4 out of 145

India’s navy personnel operate 293 total naval vessels, including 2 aircraft carriers, 18 submarines, 14 frigates, 18 corvettes, and 135 patrol vessels.

3. Russia

russian frigate | missile frigate of Russian fleet

Total navy personnel: 160,000
Total army personnel: 550,000
Total air force personnel: 165,000
Active military personnel: 1,320,000
Reserve military personnel: 2,000,000
Paramilitary personnel: 250,000
Total military personnel: 3,570,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.0788 – #2 out of 145
Military defense budget: $126,000,000,000 – #3 out of 145

Russia’s navy personnel operate 419 total naval vessels, including 1 aircraft carrier, 63 submarines, 12 frigates, 83 corvettes, and 123 patrol vessels.

2. China

Liaoning by u65e5u672cu9632u885bu7701u30fbu7d71u5408u5e55u50dau76e3u90e8

Liaoning (CC BY 4.0) by u65e5u672cu9632u885bu7701u30fbu7d71u5408u5e55u50dau76e3u90e8

Total navy personnel: 380,000
Total army personnel: 2,545,000
Total air force personnel: 400,000
Active military personnel: 2,035,000
Reserve military personnel: 510,000
Paramilitary personnel: 625,000
Total military personnel: 3,170,000
Military strength score and world rank: 0.0788 – #3 out of 145
Military defense budget: $266,850,000,000 – #2 out of 145

China’s navy personnel operate 754 total naval vessels, including 3 aircraft carriers, 4 helicopter carriers, 61 submarines, 47 frigates, 72 corvettes, and 150 patrol vessels.

1. United States

Aerial drone photo of USS Gerald R. Ford latest technology nuclear powered aircraft carrier anchored in deep blue open ocean sea

Total navy personnel: 667,108
Total army personnel: 1,403,200
Total air force personnel: 701,319
Active military personnel: 1,328,000
Reserve military personnel: 799,500
Paramilitary personnel: 0
Total military personnel: 2,127,500
Military strength score and world rank: 0.0744 – #1 out of 145
Military defense budget: $895,000,000,000 – #1 out of 145

Navy personnel for the United States operate 440 total naval vessels, including 11 aircraft carriers, 9 helicopter carriers, 70 submarines, 26 corvettes, and 81 destroyers.

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